The Democratic-led US Senate is moving forward with a bipartisan stopgap funding bill to prevent a potential government shutdown, while the House is preparing to vote on partisan Republican spending bills unlikely to become law.
This divergence increases the chances of a shutdown on Sunday, affecting federal agencies, workers, and services. The Senate voted 76-22 to debate a continuing resolution (CR) extending spending until November 17, including funding for disaster response and aid to Ukraine.
House Republicans, however, are rejecting spending levels for fiscal year 2024, demanding additional cuts and border security measures.
The funding dispute focuses on a small portion of the overall budget, and bipartisanship is seen as the only solution to avoid a shutdown.